Power cultivating and weeding machine



Feb. 28, 1939.

w. E. URSCHEL POWER CULTIVATING AND WEEDING MACHINE Filed April 13, 19:56 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

. MM, 51 be R w 9% vfi ww mm, 9 g E NNI g dium: 8 l I p I 1 SN 8w EM FR: unw mu R =7 b2 mw NW5 QM. Wm a I haw IW r 9.0 NM. w h: WNH\\ W F a 8 W S D Y mm h? ww n o m MM NM.

H mm Feb. 28, 1939. w. E. URSCHEL PQWER CULTIVATING AND WEEDING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. I lddlzam/filraciueb ATTORNEYS.

1939. w. E. URSCHEL POWER CULTIVATING AND WEEDING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 CN m T A INVENTOR. ZZI' Feb. 28, 1939. w URSCHEL 2,148,916

POWER GULTIVATING AND WEEDING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

241501160 BY Q 77a ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 28, 1939.

W. E URS CHEL POWER CULTIVATING AND WEEDING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fizz/622221:- Zz/zZZdmz/ llrsckel/ ly make hills at predetermined, spaced distances Patented F b. as, 1939' UNITED STATES PATIENTOFFIICE I 2.14am r William E. Ums tvum, ms. Application April 1:. 1m, Serial No. 14.055 sacrum. (or. 91-19)- My invention relates to machines for cultivating and/or blocking plants, vegetables, and esbetween such hills. In the third step in thecultivation, portions oi the hills are removed to leave one plant in each hill.

It is an object of applicants invention to provide a single machine for performing all these cultivating operations.

It is a further object of applicant's invention to provide a machine for cultivating plants grown in rows, which will automatically and periodicalapart, cultivating or blocking out the intervening portions of the row of plants.

It is a further object oiapplicants invention to provide, in a machine of the character de-- scribed, means for simultaneously cultivating a plurality of rows of plants.

It is another object of applicant's invention to provide in a cultivating machine embodying power actuated cultivator-s, adjustable means for maintaining the movement of the cultivators in cynchronism with the longitudinal movement of the machine along the row of plants, whereby in.

the use of the machine for the performance of the second cultivating step the preservation of the-plants under cultivation will be insured.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a cultivating machine embodying a plustaggered relation and having paths of travel of the ground between the plants to be cultivated. A further object of the invention is to provide a cultivating machine wherein the cultivator shall be manually adjustable relative to the frame of the machine to maintain the'cultivator in line with the longitudinal axis of the row of plants to be cultivated.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be. apparent from the description which follows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of my machine, illustrating the device when controlled by one operator. Fig, 2 is a plan view of the machine when controlled by four operators.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is a side elevation in partial section illustrating the plow actuating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the frame-supporting mechanism illustrated in Pig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 .1 Fig.5.

Fig. 'I'is a part plan view of a main drive and clutch mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the V-shaped, grooved drive pulley taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a rear view of the synchronizing, indicating device.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the plow actuating control lever.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the plow illustrating the action of the plows when they are automatically controlled.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of the course of the plows when manually controlled.

Fig. 13 is an expanded perspective view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4.

' Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken through the clutch mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 13.

The preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a main frame consisting of side members l0 and H held in spaced'relationat their rear ends by a transverse member l2. The forward ends of the side members I! and ii preferably are shaped to converge and are held in position by plates l0 and 26 fastened to said members. There are intermediate longitudinal beams M and I5 (see Fig. 1), secured to transverse member l2 by plates l6 and to the, converging portions of the side members III and II by plates l1.

A third longitudinal member ll, preferably positioned midway between the side members ill and II, is secured at its forward end to these plates I3 and 28 and fastened at its other ex-" tremity to transverse member 12, preferably by means of a plate I9.

The main frame heretofore described is carried along the ground by wheels 28 and 2| connected to the frame by the usual axle brackets 22 and 28. The machine is preferably moved over the ground by means of a farm tractor 24, whose draw-bar 25 may be secured to the frame connector plates I3 and 28 by a pin 21.

Suitably shaped weeding and cultivating mechanism preferably consists of two distinct types of cultivators. First, plows or cultivators 28, 29 and 38 are provided in fixed relation with respect to each other and adapted to work the soil between the rows of the crop. Secondly, shiftable plows, tools or cultivators 3| and 32, there being a plurality of the samepreferably fourare mounted on the machine for movement so that they may be moved around any desired plant or plants in the row of the crop, thereby permittingthe working of the soil in between the plants along and in a bracket 48 secured to frame member I4.

A crank 4|, pinned to shaft 38, is connected to an arm 42 mounted upon member 33 by a link 43, thus forming the connection between the hand lever 31 and the plow support 33 for operating the latter manually. A detent 44, mounted upon this hand lever 31, is operated by a thumb latch 45 and link 48 and cooperates with notches formed in the bracket 48. This arrangement provides means for holding the points of the plows 28 to 38, inclusive, in any desired position above or below the ground or the surface line of the soil.

In order to permit the cultivators or plows 3| and 32 to be moved vertically, they are mounted upon tiltable frames in the following manner. Each of the four identical frames 55 is pivotally mounted, by a pin I88 and a bearing projection 81 formed upon the frame 55, in circular apertures 88 of supporting brackets 89, the brackets 89 being secured to transverse frame members I2 and 98, as shown in Fig. 1. The tiltable frames 55 may be connected in any conventional manner to the shaft 38 for oscillation thereby. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 7 of the drawings, three of the frames 55 are connected to the shaft 38 by means of cranks I88 and links I81 and I88; the fourth frame 55 is connected by a link 89 directly to the extending end of the hand lever 31. It will be apparent from this description that upon operation of the hand lever 31 the rear cultivators 28, 29 and 38 and the plows or cultivators 3| and 32 will be simultaneously raised or lowered. By reason of the detent and toothed bracket, the plows or cultivators may be held in any desired position.

Plow beams 41 and 41', Figure 4, serve to secure plows'3l and 32 to brackets 48 and 49, which are pivotally mounted upon a pin 52 secured in members 58 and 5|. Members 58 and 5|, which are. pivotally mountedupon bearing projections 53 and 54 of the rectangular frame ing projections 53 and 54 of the frame 55.

Ratchets 8|, Figures 5 and 6, enclosed by housings 58 and 58', are each secured to shaft 88 by key 82. Pawls 83 are each pivotally mounted upon a pin 84 secured in the associated housing 58 or 58'. Each pawl 83, which is positioned on the pin 84 by a cotter key 85, is provided with a projection 88 .fltted to cooperate with teeth 81 on ratchet 8|. Springs 83 secured at one end to each of the housings 58 and 58 at point 88 have their other extremitiessecured in eyebolts 89 mounted upon pawls 83. This arrangement permits springs 83 to exert a resilient tension upon pawls 83 thereby causing projections 88 to engage with teeth 81 of ratchet 8|.

Rods 18 and 1| secured to eccentric straps I2 and 13 have their other extremities pivotally mounted in arms 14 and 15 of the plow support brackets 48 and 48.

Upon engagement of a pawl 83 with its ratchet 8|, the shaft 88 will be connected to the rod 18 or 1| through the housing 58 or 58' and the eccentric 59 or 59' associated with the operated pawl. Both pawls 83 having been operated, the rods 18 and 1| will both be connected to the shaft 88 to cause the plows 3| and 32 to oscillate about the pin 52 as a center transversely toward and from each other as the shaft 88 rotates.

Since plow 3| is positioned ahead of plow 32, it is desirable that there be a delayed action in the movement of the plow 32 so that it will not deviate from its course until it reaches the point at which the corresponding plow 3| began to alter its course. This desired action is attained by the use of latches 18 and 11 and the cam 18. For instance, latch 18 is reciprocably mounted on pin 19 to slide relatively, see Figure 4, in apertures located in members 58 and 51. Spring 88 is mounted upon latch 18 in such a manner as to cause this latch to exert a resilient pressure toward housing 58. Latch 11 is reciprocably mounted upon pin 8| and in a circular aperture in member 51. Spring 82 is mounted upon latch 11 to exert a resilient pressure toward housing 58, which is the lower housing.

When the latch 18 is moved forwardly out of engagement with the extending end of the pawl 83, the spring 83 will rotate said pawl about its pivot pin 84 to cause the tooth 88 to engage a tooth 81 of the ratchet 8 I. This action causes the upper housing 58 to rotate with ratchet 8| and shaft 88 and operate plow 3| as hereinbefore described.

After the upper housing 58 has passed through a predetermined portion of its rotative cycle, cam 18, which is located on the periphery of the upper housing 58 and overlies the upper edge of the lower housing 58', contacts a projection on the engagement with the ratchet 8| to thereby conclude the movement of the plow 3|. The lower arcane plows 3| and 32, is driven by a bevel gear 85 which is secured to a shaft 88 or There are two shafts 38 and 33' (Figs. 1 and 2) which extend laterally of the main frame and are iournaled in the bearing projections 81 of the frames 55 as best shown in Fig. 5. The shaft 38 is associated with the two rearward pairs of plows 3I and 32 and the shaft 88' is associated with the two forward pairs of plows 3I and 32.

A V-groove pulley 8| Figures 1 and I, rotatably mounted on forward shaft 83' is driven bythe V-groove pulley 82 through V-belt 83. V-groove pulley 82. as shown in Figure 8, is constructed in such manner as to permit displacement of one of its angular faces, thereby providing means to vary the pitch diameter of said pulley. This arrangement permits the operator to vary the. speed at which pulley 5| may be driven in a manner hereinafter described.

The right flange 34 of pulley 82, as illustrated in Figure 8, is keyed to shaft 35 bythe key 88. The splined extended hub 51 of said flange 84 cooperates with the splined fltting 83 in the hub 89 of flange I88, thus providing a positive drive for the flange I88 in any of its positions on hub 31. Plate I82 secured to one extremity of shaft 85 by a capscrew I83 holds spring I84 in resilient compression against the outer face of the dense I88. This arrangement enables flange I88 to exert a uniform pressure against the angular face of the v-belt 83 independent of its position on the extended hub 81 of flange 84 The shaft 85, upon which the V-groove pulley 82 is secured, is journaled in bearings I85 on a bearing bracket I85. Bevel gear I81, pinned to shaft 85, is driven by a bevel gear I83 pinned or otherwise secured to shaft I88 joumaled in bearing III! of bracket I85. A universal joint III pinned to shaft I89, as shown in Figure 1, has a squared sleeve II2 joined to its other extremity, said sleeve cooperating with a square shaft II3 fastened to another universal joint II4. Joint H4 is secured in a conventional manner to the power take-oil! shaft II5 thereby providing the power required to operate the machine.

In order to provide for the automatic operation of plows 3| and 32 for causing their points to spread over the track laterally at predetermined intervals, the plow supporting members 58 are connected by the links 5 and III as illustrated in Figure 1. Intermediate link II8 joins cranks I I9 secured to members 58. Link I28, more clearly shown in Figure '7, is provided with cuplike sockets at each extremity which cooperate with spherically headed bolts I2I secured to the upturned lower. end of member 58 and a hand lever I22 respectively. Hand lever I22 is pivotally.

mounted upon a pin I24 carried by a bracket I24. The bracket I24 has a hub portion in which is keyed a shaft I23, the shaft I23 being journaled in a bearing I25 carried by a bracket I53. An

idler pulley I2'I is rotatably mounted upon a stud' hand lever I22, the shaft I23 will be rotated to cause pulley I21 to tighten or loosen V-belt 83.

The circular housing I23, see Figure 7, similar to housing 58 except that the eccentric hub 58 has been replaced by a concentric hub I38, is pinned to shaft 83. Pawl 53', which is identical to that used in housing 58', (Fig. 6) is secured to housing I28 in the same manner. The hub of the V-groove pulley 8I extends into the housing I28 and carries a ratchet I3I which is designed to cooperate with the tooth as of the pawl 61'. When the pawl and ratchet are in engagement the rotation of the pulley 5| will be transmitted- I32, guides the latch in its reciprocation. 'A

spring I31 is mounted upon the bar I32 in such manner as to exert a resilient pressure urging the latch into engagement with the pawl 53'. A bell crank lever I38, pivotally secured to a bracket I38, operates the latch I32 by means of a link I38. When the pawl 53' is disengaged from the ratchet I3I by the operation of the latch I32, the pulley 8| rotates freely upon the shaft 86, thereby providing a means independent of the tractor-powe'r-take-off clutch to engage or disengage the cultivator machinery from the power actuator. v

To enable the operator to keep the movement or oscillation of the plows 3| and 32 synchronized with the movement of the machine between the rows of plants to be cultivated, a power driven indicator has been provided. This indicator consists of a pointer I48 (see Figs. 1 and 9) mounted upon a power driven disk I4I,,whose hub. is pinned to a shaft I42 Journaled in a bracket I43. A bevel gear I44, pinned to shaft I42, is driven by-a bevel gear I45 which is mounted in any conventional manner upon a shaft I45. To the opposite extremity of the shaft I45, which is journaled in the extended bearing of the bracket I43, is secured a sprocket I". A sprocket I48 is secured to the rearward shaft 88 (Fig. 1) and drives the sprocket I" through a chain I48.

It is to be understood that this indicator continuously rotates at a speed proportionate to the speed of the power take-oi! and hence proportionate to the speed of movement of the machine over the ground. The indicator is so arranged that as it reaches a hill of plants to be cultivated .the pointer I48 will be alined with a cross row of plants and will point directly at a plant in the row along which the right forward pair of plows 3I and 32 is traversing. When for any reason, such as a change in spacing between the plants being cultivated, the pointer I48 is not so alined, the hand lever I22 is to be operated to increase or decrease the speed of the shafts 85 and 85' to bring the pointer I48 into proper alinement.

When the machine is to be manually controlled by four operators, four seats I52 are provided and positioned upon the main frame as illustrated in Fig. 2. Links H6, H1 and H8 are removed, as is also the synchronizing indicator just described. Additional hand levers I22 of the construction illustrated in detail in Figs. 3, l0 and 13 are pivotally mounted upon brackets I53 secured to the frame members I4 and I5. The links I28, hereinbefore described, are attached to the supporting members or straps 58 of each set of the plows 3| and 32. Four levers I58 are also added and these are each pivotally mounted on the link I20 by means of a pin I.5I. An individual indicator I53 is provided for each operating position and is secured, in any conventional manner, upon the lower plow support straps II as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 13.

To manually operate the mechanism. actuat ing plows 3| and 32, the button I55, Figures 10 and 13, is depressed and through link I58 actuates the lever I51 pivotally mounted on a pin I58 secured in a bracket I59 secured to the lever I22. Lever I51 forces one end of lever I50 rearwardly thereby causing the other end of lever I5 0, which slidably receives the latch 13 and is held thereon by cotter key I80, forwardly to thereby operate said latch and release the pawl 33 to actuate the plows 3I and 32 in the manner hereinbefore described.

Operation For the first cultivating and blocking operation the machine is to be operated automatically, and accordingly the latches 10, associated with the four pairs of plows 2I and 22, are pulled forwardly to released position and held in that position throughout the entire cultivating operation by inserting Pins-in circular apertures Ill in the latch rods 10. Any other means for holding the latches in forward position may be utilized. The lever I38, Fig. 7, is then moved forward and held in a forward position by a catch I 32. Forward movement of the lever I38 causes the latch I32 to release pawl 33', and said pawl engages with the ratchet hub I3I of pulley Power from the tractor power take-ofi H5 is transmitted to shaft 86' through shaft I09, double gears I01 and I08, shaft 35, pulley 32, belt 33, pulley ill, and housing I3I. Power from the forward shaft 88' is transferred to the rearward shaft 86 by sprockets I I3 and I03 and chain I05, the sprockets I62 and I being attached to their respective shafts. Bevel gears 85 attached to shafts 86 and 86' drive shafts 80 through bevel gears 83. Each shaft 30 drives the pair of housings 53 and 58' through ratchets N and pawls 63 attached to said housings. The rotation of the eccentric hubs of the housings 58 and 58' operates the rods and II through straps 12 and 13. The rods 10 and 1|, through arms 13 and 15 and brackets 48 and 33, cause plows 3I and 32 to oscillate about the pin 52 as a center.

As previously stated, the latch 11 is operated by the cam 18 a'predetermined time after the release of the latch 13'. Therefore, the plow 32 will start to oscillate the same predetermined time after the plow 3I has started to oscillate and at the same point along the longitudinal axis of the row of plants. Because the latch 15 is held in released position by the pin in the aperture I5I, the oscillation of the plow 3I will be continuous and the latch 11 will be releasedby the constantly rotating cam 18 in each cycle of the revolution. The oscillation of the plow 22 will therefore also be continuous but displaced in time phase with respect to the oscillation of the plow 3|. The course which each set of plows 3| and 32 will follow during the first cultivating operation is shown in Fig. 11.

The four pairs of plows 3| and 22 are maintained in alinement with the centerline of the rows of plants by means of the hand lever I 22, Fig. 1. Every lateral adjusting movement of-the lever I22 is transferred to the four pairs of plows 3I and 32 by links I23, II, H1, H8 and cranks H9.

If it be desired to increase the speed of the opening and closing of the plows 2| and 32, the upper end of hand lever I22 is moved forward to rotate shaft I23, Figures '1 and 13, and cause crank I26 to lower idler pulley I21, thus relieving the pressure on the belt 82. The spring I03 then 5 forces the angular faces of the pulley 82 closer together, causing the belt to ride further out from the center of the pulley, thus increasing the speed of the drive shafts-80 and 83 and the oscillation of the plows 3I and 32. When a decrease in the speed of oscillation of the plows 3i and 32 is desired, the lever I22 is pulled rearwardly to increase the pressure of the pulley I21 against the belt 93 and to cause the faces of the pulley 92 to spread further apart.

The operation of the machine for the second cultivating operation or step is practically the same except that the operator must now maintain the pointer I30 of the indicator alined with the rows of plants being cultivated. This is accomplished by manipulating the lever I22 to maintain the oscillation (of the plows 2I and 32 in synchronism with the movement of the cultivating machine between the rows of plants.

For the performance of the third, or last, cultivating step, four operators are required. The

links H5, H1 and H8 are removed and replaced by additional levers I20, I22, I and I so that each pair of plows 3I and 32 may be operated independently of each other pair, and the pins 20 theretofore inserted in the apertures I6I of the latch rod 16 are removed to restore the control of these latches to the buttons I55. The speed of the shafts 86 and 86' now remains practically constant, the hand lever I 22 being used merely to maintain each set of plows in proper alinement with its respective row of plants.

As hereinbefore mentioned, an indicator I53, Fig. 4, is attached to each member 5|. when a plant is immediately beneath a pointer I54, the button I55 is momentarily depressed to actuate levers I51 and I 50 and retract the latch 15, the retraction of the latch releasing the pawl 83 and coupling the shaft to the rod 10 to operate the plow 3|. During the interval required for plow 32 to reach the point at which plow 3| started to operate, the cam 18 reaches and trips latch I1, the lower pawl 53 being thereby released to couple the shaft 60 to the rod H to operate plow 32. Springs 80 and 82 reset latches 15 and 11 when pressure on button I 55 is released; thus when one revolution of the housings 58 and 58' has been completed the plows 3I and 32 will assume the same position they held in respect to one another at the start of the herein described cycle of operation. This same operation is repeated each time a plant is encountered, each operator actuating his pair of plows 3I and 32 independently of the other operators. The action of said plows in the operation described is diagrammatically shown in Figure 12. It may be noted however, that the plows 3I and 32 will continue to move in and out as long as the operator continues the downward pressure on the button I55.

The method of cultivation described has been for plants that have been drilled. When seeds have been planted in hills, the first or blocking operation is omitted and the second method of semi-automatic operation is used first.

It is understood that the machine is not limited to the three cycles of cultivation in the order they have been described. Since all the cultivation is accomplished longitudinally with respect to the rows of plants, the machine is of great advantage in irrigated districts where it is im- 18 possible to cross cultivate between the plants because of interference with the flow or water between the. rows. v

What I claim as new and desire to secure'as Letters Patent of'the United States is: 1

1 1. In a cultivating device the combination of a support adapted to move over the ground substantially parallel to a row of plants to be cultivated, shiftable cultivating means on said support, variable power operated means adapted to tion substantially parallel with a'row of plants,-

cultivating means shiitably mounted on said support, variable speed power-actuated means for operating said cultivating means in synchronism with the rate oi travel oi the support over the ground for cultivating plants, shiitable control means on the support adapted to be actuated in one direction for shifting the cultivating means relative to the support to position the cultivating means relative to the row of plants and shiitable in another-direction to alter the synchronized relation between the rate of movement oi the cultivating means and the rate of travel or the v support over the ground.

3. In a cultivating device for cultivating a row of plants, the combination of a support adapted to travel over the ground in a direction substantiallyparallel with a row of plants to be cultivated, at least two cultivator shittably mounted on said support, one in advanceof the other with respect to the direction of travel of the support relative to the row of plants, power actuated means for actuating said cultivator-s to cause the same to move angularly with respect to each other and to the row of plants as the support travels along the ground whereby to cause said cultivators'to move toward and from each other,

to cross the longitudinal axis of the row of plants and to cross the path of travel oi the other cultivator.

4. In a cultivator the combination or a support adapted to travel over the ground substantially parallel to a plurality of parallel disposed rows of plants to be cultivated, a plurality of separate cultivating means on said support, one means for each row, variable speed power actuated means operated in synchronism with the rate of travel of the support over the ground for imparting a continuous succession of recurring movements to each 01 said cultivating means, and a single control means under the control oi? a single operator on the support for altering the relation between the movements of the cultivators and the rate of movement of the support-over the ground. r

5. In a cultivator the combination of a support adapted totravel over the ground in a direction substantially parallel to a row of plants to be cultivated, cyclically movable cultivating means on said support, power actuated means'for operating said cultivating means and manually actuated moans'under the control of an operator first 1 cultivator;

on the support'for causing said power operated means to operate said cultivating meansto/complete a'single cyclical movement or selectively to complete a whole number of cyclical movements as the support travels along the ground.

6. In a cultivatorthe combination of a support adapted to travel over the ground in a di-. rection substantially parallel to a row of plants to be cultivated, operable cultivating means on said support, variable speed wer actuated 10 means for cyclically operating said cultivating means, manually actuated means under the control of an operator on the support for causing said power operated means to operate said cultivating means to complete a single cyclical move- 15 ment or selectively to complete a number of cyclical movements as the support travels along the ground, means for controlling said power actuated means to cause said means to move the cultivating means in synchronism withthe travel go of the support over the ground and means under the control of the operator for varying such synchronous relation. a

7. In a cultivator the combination of a support adapted to travel over the ground substa'n- 25 tially parallel to a row of plants to be cultivated, at least two cultivators shiftably mounted on said support, power actuated means including mechanism-for operating one of said cuitivators,

and mechanism responsive to the operation of 3 said first mechanism for operating the other cuitivator in timed relation to the movement of the 8. In a cultivator the combination oi a suptially parallel to a row of plants to be cultivated, a pair of cultivators on said support, power .actuated means on said support, a shaft to be driven thereby, clutch means between said shaft and port adapted to travel over the ground substana one of said cultivators, and-additional clutch 40 means between said shaft and the other cultivator, and mechanism actuated by one of said clutch means for operating the clutch means of the other cultivator, and manually actuated means for controlling the actuation of said clutch 5 means.

9. In a cultivator the combination of a support adapted to travel over the ground substantially parallel to a row of plants to be cultivated,

cyclically movable cultivating means on said sup- 50 port; power actuated means on said support, control means for causing said power actuated means to operate said cultivating means in a continuous 10. A cultivating machine comprising a sup- 0 port adapted to travel over the ground ubstantially parallel to a row of plants to be c tivated, a cultivator, means for shiitably moun ing said cultivator on said support, power driven operat-- ing means for moving said cultivator transversely of a row of plants to be cultivated, manually operable means for controlling said power driven operating means to selectively cause said operating means to move said cultivator continuously whereby to cultivate the ground between prede- 7o terminedly spaced hills of plants, or discontinuously wherebyto remove a desired number of plants from each of the said predeterminedly spaced hills of plants, and a second manually operable means connected to said shittable oi the row of plants being cultivated;

11. In a cultivatingmachine comprising a support adapted to travel over the ground substantially parallel to a row oi plants to be cultivated, a cultivator, a supporting .irame pivoted to said support for universal movement with respect to said support, means for mounting said cultivator upon said supporting frame for oscillating movement relative thereto, means for oscillating said cultivator, and manually operable means connected to said supporting-frame i'or tilting the same vertically to control thedepth of cut of said cultivator and for rotating the same horizontally to maintain said cultivator in proper alinement with respect to-the longitudinal axis of the row of plants to be cultivated.

12. A cultivating machine comprising a support adapted to travel over the ground substantially parallel toa row of plants to be cultivated, a cultivator shiftably mounted upon said support, an indicator mounted upon said support, variable speed power operated means for operating said cultivator and said indicator in synchronism with the movement of the support between the hills of plants to be cultivated, and manually operated speed control means for maintaining said synchronized relation.

13. A cultivating machine comprising a support adapted to travel over the ground substantially parallel to a plurality of rows 01' plants to be cultivated, a plurality of cultivators shiitably mounted upon said support for oscillation transversely of the rows of plants, a rotatable indicator mounted upon said support, variable speed power operated means for oscillating said cultivators and rotating said indicator in synchronism with the movement 01' the support between the transverse rows of plants to be cultivated, means for simultaneously adjusting all of said cultivators to maintain them in proper longitudinal alinement with their respective rows of plants, speed control means for maintaining the synchronized relation between the cultivator, the

indicator and the movement of the support, and

a single manually operable lever for selectively operating said adjusting means and said speed control means.

14. In a cultivating machine the combination of a support adapted to travel over the ground substantially parallel to a row or plants to be cultivated,-a pair of cultivator elements shiftably mounted on said support in longitudinally staggered relation, power operated means for actuating said'cultivator elements in timed relation to cause the same to oscillate laterally of the support along intersecting paths beginning at the same point in the longitudinal axis 01 the 'row of plants and extending across the longitudinal axis of said row of plants.

15. In a cultivating machine, the combination 01 a support adapted to travel over the ground in a direction substantially parallel to a row of plants to be cultivated, a pair 01' cultivator elements shiitably mounted on said support in longitudinally staggered relation, power operated means adapted to be connected to said cultivator elements to oscillate the same laterally of the support along intersecting paths across: the longitudinal axis oi therow of plants, individual clutch means for connecting said power operated means to eachoi' said cultivator elements, manually operable means for controlling one or said clutches. and meansoperated by said one clutch .for shifting the cultivators angularly with refor controlling the'other clutch to cause a predetermined delay between the operation of the cultivator elements whereby the oscillations of said elements are initiated at the same point along the longitudinal axis 01 the row of plants. 5

16. In a cultivator, the combination of a support adapted to travel over the ground in a direction substantially parallel with a row of plants to be cultivated, a pair of cultivators shiftably mounted on. said support, variable speed power 10 operated means for shifting the cultivators simultaneously in opposite directions laterally oi the path of travel of the support, and means for selectively controlling said power operated means to cause said means to shift said cultivators Qu ds continuous cyclic movements throughout the ed? M tire length of the row or to shift said cultivators in single cyclical movement under the control of the operator.

17'. In a cultivator .the combination of a sup- 20 port adapted to travel over the ground in a direction substantially parallel to a row of plants,

a plurality of cultivators shiitably mounted theeron, variable speed power operated means 26 spect to the path of travel of the support in synchronism with the movement of the support over the ground/and continuously variable speed control means for varying the rate of movement of the cultivators with respect to the rate of movement of the supportover the ground.

18. In a cultivator the combination of a support adapted to travel'over the ground in a di- 'mined time after initiation 'of the operation of said first cultivator.

19. In a cultivating device the combination oi a vehicle adapted to travel over the ground in 45 a direction substantially parallel with a row 'of plants, a pair of cultivators shirtably mounted on said vehicle, variable speed power actuated means for driving said cultivators, continuously variable speed changing control means for causing each of the cultivators to move at a rate in synchronism with the rate of travel of the vehicle along the row 01' plants, said power actuated means including mechanism for causing said cultivators to move periodically toward and 55 from each other across the longitudinal axis of the row of plants and along intersecting paths of travel.

20. In a cultivating devicethe combination of a support adapted to travel over the ground in adirection generally parallel with a row of plants, a pair of longitudinally spaced cultivators shiftably mounted on said support, variable speed power actuating means for driving said cultivators, means for controllingsaid power actuated means to cause each of the cultivators to move in substantial synchronism with the travel of the support along the row of plants, said power actuated means including mecharusm for causing said cultivators periodically to 70 move angularly with respect to each other and to the row 01' plants, as the support travels along the ground whereby to cause said cultivators to move toward and from each other, to cross the longitudinal axis or the row of plants and to cross 15 the path of travel of the other cultivator and control means for causing said power actuated means to shift said cultivators in timed relation whereby the shifting movement of each cultivator begins at the same point along the longitudinal axis of the row of plants.

21. In a cultivating machine, the combination of a vehicular support, a cyclically movable cultivator mounted on said support, variable speed power actuated means for operating said cultivator and selective control means for causin said power actuated means to move said cultivator in a continuous succession of complete cyclical movements in synchronism with the movement of the vehicular support or discontinuously in single, complete cyclical movements under the control of an operator.

22. A cultivating machine comprising a vehicular support adapted to travel over the ground substantially parallel to a plurality 01' rows of plants to be cultivated, a plurality of cultivators shiftably mounted upon said support, power means for moving said support to cause said plurality of cultivators to move longitudinally of the rows of plants, variable speed operating means actuated by said power means for causing each of said cultivators to move transversely of a row of plants between predetermined, spaced apart hills of plants to be cultivated, a single manually adjustable means for simultaneously shifting all or said cultivators relative to said support to maintain said cultivators in proper alignment with their respective rows of plants, and a single manually adjustable means for controlling the speed of operation of said operating means to maintain the transverse movements of all the cultivators in synchronism with the rate of travel of the support over the ground.

WILLIAM E. URSCI-IEL. 

